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5/31/11

Ride Home 5/31

I left work early, like 2 o'clock early, because I'm suffering the effects of some sort of throat illness. I'm going to the doctor's office tomorrow, so we'll see what I've got.
As far as bicycling is concerned, my ride home wasn't anything to be especially proud about. It was slow and a bit labored. I also don't mean to sound self-righteous. There's nothing virtuous about riding home when you don't feel well. It's not something I even recommend. It just would have inconvenienced me more to go home any other way and I just wanted to get home as directly as I could so I could take a shower and take a nap.
One of the good things about a daily ride is knowing exactly how much effort it takes and being able to judge whether or not it seems doable given the conditions. I figured that since I coast downhill for the first 3 miles or so, I could take it easy and save any effort for Arlington, which is (up)hillier. I wasn't overly concerned about the sun and the heat and I think that turned about to be the correct judgment- it was hot, but not as offputtingly hot as the morning's weather, which I tend to find much more jarring and uncomfortable.
I traded 34th street (bike lanes) for 35th (no bike lanes) and that was fine. 35th Street was the route I took until about September of last year and it has fewer intersections than its eastern neighbor. It also houses a coffee shop and a gardening store as opposed to a corner store with a whiteboard out front advertising HOT PANINIES.
Then a bunch of other stuff happened and then I got home. Worst Tales From The Sharrows ever. If I think of anything else later, maybe I'll post an update. This is awfully ill-timed for last minute votes in that contest I promise to only mention once again. Here's the last, last-ditch pander for more votes:

Ellie the Pander Poodle

Also, while you're using the interwebs to vote for bike things, check out this petition from Erik at Bicycle Space. More info here.